another horse another abscess...

Sweet Pea decided to go for a run down the driveway the other day when I let him out to graze and I think he bruised his foot. He was stiff on Saturday and I actually thought it was stifle or rear so I thought well... 28 year old boy go's for a run... He's bound to be sore but by Tuesday I decided it was the right front and by yesterday I was pretty sure it was an abscess. Today I asked my husband to bring home one of his thermal heat thingamabobbers so that I can check the temp on the hoof to try to figure out just where the abscess is... Does anyone know what a normal hoof temp would be?

I'm also going to pick up some Epsom salts so I can begin the soaking process and then I'll text my farrier tonight....

Why don't you just get a hoof tester. Push down on the hoof and where ever it is when he really tryes to pull away is where it is.

Put his foot in epsin (SP?) salt for a while that helps draw it out.

No idea about the temp.
Just something to remember about soaking..if it really is a sole bruise and not an abscess, soaking will usually make the horse more lame because of softening the sole. The good side is that is more info to help diagnose lameness, which can be so frustrating.

Sounds like a stone bruise iv had that happen on my gelding got stiff acting then went dead lame. He could hardly walk called farrier he came three days later sure enough he had a big stone bruise. He pared it out to relieve the pressure then put a pad and shoe back on. He was fine three days later had alot of stone bruising last summer so our horses were shod with pads to protect their soles.

I'm going to text my farrier tomorrow but this is sweat pea... The last time he had an abscess we had to have the vet drug him and he still tried to kill the farrier, my brother, and the vet... He is the perfect patient for any injury but the hoof. I just tried to soak him w/ epson salt for an epic fail. I bought this soaking boot but he kept flinging his leg and I could barely hold on to the hoof before he ripped it away... Not pretty....

I did get some banamine down him. I was going to do bute but I wanted to do a loading dose so I did the banamine. I also locked him in a rubber matted stall which is not going to be pretty. He is not a stall horse and will become very grumpy very fast... :(

Last time I had to give him medication he gave me a black eye. For a 28 year old horse Pistol is still ornery as all get out.... I hope the abscess blows quickly....